Decoy.



PATENTED JAN. 30 1906- W. W. GRAM.

DEGOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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UN it STATE PATENT OF ICE WALTER WARREN CRAM, OF SHELDON, IOWA.

ecor.

at Sheldon, in the county of OBrien and.

State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Deco s; and I do declare the ollowing to be a fuli: clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in anchoring devices for decoys used in hunting ducks, water-fowls, and other game.

The object-of the invention'is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable, and efiicient automatic winding device for the anchor of a decoy of this character.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arran ement of parts, as will be hereinafter descri ed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a decoy rovid ed with my improved anchoring device.

ig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sec tional view, on an enlarged scale, through the automatic winding device. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the outer casing, the brake-spring, and the pushrod. Fig. 6- is a detail view of the windingdrum, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the brake-spring.

Referrin to the drawin s by numerals, 1 denotes a oating decoy, w iich, as shown, is in the form of a duck, but which may be of any other form and construction. The neck 2 of the duck is removably secured upon its body portion 3, so as to cover a cavity or chamber 4, formed in the upper portion of the body at a point above the water-line of the float or decoy. In this cavity is removably mounted an automatic winding device 5 for the anchor. 6 of the decoy. This'anchor 6 is preferably in the form of a frusto-conicalsha ed weight,which is connected at its small end to one end of a cord or other flexible connection 7, ada ted to be wound u on and unwound from te device 5. In t e lower or under side of the decoy is formed a recess 8, which corresponds in size and shape to the anchor-weight 6, so that the latter may be frictionally retained within the same when the decoy is not in use. This recess 8 is con- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed liiay 11 1905. Serial No. 269,975.

' nected with the cavit 4 by a passage 9, through which the cor 7 is adapted to .pass.

The automatic winding device 5 comprises a casing 10, preferably of cylindrical form and provided with a removable cap or cover 11, and an o ening 12, formed in its periphery to receive t e cord 7. Within the casing or barrel 10 is revolubly mounted a windingdrum 13, having a'grooved eriphery or rim to which one end of the cor 7 is secured and about which thelatter is adapted to be wound. This drum 13 rotates upon the inner end of a ush-rod 14, which extends through one side of the body 3 of the duck and throu l1 alining openings formed concentrically in t e cap 11 and in the closed side 15 of the drum 13. This push-rod 14 has a limited longitudinal sliding movement, which ma be caused by pressing inwardly upona hea 16, provided upon its outer end, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The winding-drum 13 is spring-actuated to wind the cord 7 thereon by means of a coilspring 17, which is arranged within the drum and has one of its ends secured to the rod 14, as shown at 18,- and its opposite end secured to the inner side of the rim of the drum, as shown at 19. In order to hold the winding drum against rotation under the action of said spring when it is desired to adjust the cord 7 and anchor-weight 6 at any desired point, I' rovide a brake-spring 20, which coacts wit 1 one or more lugs or projections 21, provided u on the outer face of the side 15 of the win ing-drum. This brake-spring, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings, is formed by recessing, as shown at 22, a re- Patented J an. 30, 1906.

silient metal disk 23 in order to form the spring or tongue. The latter has its inner end sprung inwardly and formed with an opening or recess 24 to receive one of the lugs or pro ections 21 upon the windin -drum. The s ring or tongue 20 is adapted to be move outwardly, so as to disengage the lug 21 by the inner end of the push-rod 14, which is secured thereto. In order to increase the resiliency of the spring or tongue 20, a coil IIO the decoy to and from the hunting-grounds and that there will be no danglin of the anchor-weight to mar the paint on t e decoy or boat. By placing the winding device m. a cavity in the decoy above its water-line the cord will be kept dry and prevented from rotting; The use of the device will permit the decoys to be quickly put out or taken in without soiling the hands or gloves. The winding device is of simple and durable construction and can be manufactured at a comparatively small cost and may be applied toeither an old or a new decoy.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is'

1. A decoy embodying ananchor and means for securing the anchor the decoy;

2. A decoy provided with ano ening, an'

anchor and means for securing t'e anchor Within the opening. 1 v 3. A decoy provided with a cavity 0 ening externally, an anchor proportioned to ormi a closure for the cavity, a cord secured tothe in the decoy.

4a A .decoy rovided with an aperture within the un er side, an anchorproportioned to form a closure 'for the aperture and to-conform subst'antialiy to-the surface offlthe decoy, a cord securing the anchor tothe de-' coy and means for adjustably controlling the length 01- cord between-thedecoy and thean chor. l

5. In a decoy, a Winding-reel, an anchor cord wound upon the reelga tension elastically en aging the reel and arranged to hold the rec at a predetermined rotary adjustment.

6; In a. decoy, a u inding Iee1- an anchor, a cord wound upon thereel and secured to the anchor,, a tension elastically engaging the anchor and means for'winding'the cord with reel and arranged to retain a predetermined length of cord wound upon the reel.

7. A deco provided with a recess and having a flexib y-connected anchor-weightcorresponding in size and shape with said recess so that said anchor-weight may be frictionally contained therein. 8. A decoy provided witha cavity, an anchor-receiving recess and a connecting-passage, a tapered anchor-weight, a flexible connection attached to said anchor-weight and passed throu h said recess and said passage,

and means within said cavity for taking in or paying out said flexible connection.

9. A decoy provided with-a cavity, an anchor-receiving recess and aconnecting-pzis-- sage, a tapered anchor-weight, a flexible connection attached to said anchor-weight and passed through said recess and said assage, a sprin -actuated-winding-dru-m wit said cavity or said flexible connection, a brakespring for holding said drum against movement and apush-rod for releasing said braketions and acoil-spring disposed between said spring-tongue and said casing.

, In testimony whereof- I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, v

WALTER WARREN CRAM.

Witnesses: I W. MYERS,

E. E. SPRINGER. 

